Upcoming Events & Appearances

Published by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc.

Overheard

[T]he world just does not look like it has the kind of God like the one that the three major monotheisms posit is in control. The mental gymnastics done to justify the existence of suffering to make it compatible with the God described by those religions is too great, too torturous, and doesn’t do justice to the sufferers. Author Rebecca Newberger Goldstein, discussing atheism Religion News Service, 3-11-10

Our goal isn’t to shock or offend people but to get them thinking: Why are women portrayed in such a misogynistic way in so many religious texts? The bible is full of excuses used by society to belittle women; it’s just as bad as porn in that sense. So for us, inviting students to trade bibles against porn is a way of pointing out the flaws in religious texts. Carlos Morales, 22, Atheist Agenda member at UT-San Antonio, which traded porn for bibles for three days observers.france24.com, 3-9-10

Severe beatings were normal, but Ratzinger [Pope Benedict’s brother, Georg] did not belong to the group of more sadistic abusers. But I do accuse him of covering up the abuses. Franz Wittenbrink, 61, who sang in the Regensburger Domspatzen choir from 1958-67 Associated Press, 3-11-10

The report repeats, without qualification or question, the results of a controversial study presented to Anglican bishops five years ago that said that at the present rate of decline — a loss of 13,000 members per year — only one Anglican would be left in Canada by 2061. Reporter Michael Valpy, on a report prepared for the Anglican Diocese of British Columbia Toronto Globe and Mail, 2-11-10

Today I moved The Edge of Evolution and The Darwin Myth away from the shelves directly under where copies of Dawkins’ The Greatest Show on Earth were, and placed them next to — I just had to — The Adventure Bible and The Princess Bible in the religion section. Graduate student Michael Barton, Montana State University, on moving religious books out of the science section Christian News Web, 2-10-10

To have a Muslim group, a Jewish group, multiple Christian groups of all different sects and to not have a group where freethinkers and nonreligious people could get together was kind of mind-boggling. Christopher Chabot, aerospace engineering major and charter member of Auburn (University) Atheists and Agnostics Auburn Plainsman, 2-18-10

Family values, human frailty and forgiveness are the stuff of spiritual counseling that evangelical tenants claim goes on privately inside the C Street Center. All well and good, but that does not make a church of a boarding house nor require a tithing of taxpayers. Editorial, “Render Unto C Street” New York Times, 2-28-10

When I was young, I would hear that there was an argument over God and evolution. I was in a Catholic school and thought, “If God created everything and was all powerful and all knowing, couldn’t he create evolution?” But I didn’t dare say anything. I didn’t want to get smacked by a nun. “Amish King,” Auburn, N.Y., “Help! I think I may be an atheist!” rantrave.com, 3-2-10

I’d like to see the “public gatherings” where “the use of the word God” is prohibited. As for prayer, it is properly an issue at public school events because government should never compel or even instruct us how or whether to pray. Mark Davis, Texas radio talk show host Dallas Morning News, 2-26-10

The idea is that if Christian couples breed and indoctrinate enough children, they can take over both houses of Congress, “reclaim” sinful cities like San Francisco and launch massive boycotts against companies that do not support conservative Christian beliefs. Kathryn Joyce, author of QuiverFull: Inside the Christian Patriarchy Movement The Enquirer, 3-4-10

A column I wrote over the weekend criticizing James Dobson for his advocacy of corporal punishment prompted one reader to call me a “Jezebel,” another a “dyke.” Five men and two women have lobbed the c-word my way. And I have been called a “retard” three times and a “moron” twice since Sunday. Columnist Susan Greene Denver Post, 3-2-10